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Friday, 4 May 2018

Side Saddle, one friendship with two fashion styles

Italy and Spain, riding aside together

Italia e Spagna, cavalcare all'amazzone insieme

Dear Horse Lovers,

If you love the idea of time travelling to past ages, today I will take you on a special journey. Did you know that, in the past, aristocratic women mounted a horse aside rather than astride? Over the centuries this style has taken the name of side saddle and, from its first appearance at the court of the Gonzaga family of Mantua in the 14th century, it spread all across Europe.

The charm of this tradition has remained intact till the modern day, so much that some enthusiasts founded A.I.M.A. in 2011, the Associazione Italiana Monta all'Amazzone (Side Saddle Italian Association). I have already wrote about them in this article, but they surely deserve a new mention for the recent twinning between A.I.M.A. and AAMA (Asociación Andaluza de Monta a la Amazona). The event took place in the beautiful Andalusian village of El Rocio, where the members of the two associations spent a whole day together, wearing the elegant and sophisticated equestrian clothes that characterise them: a fashion detail that blends sport and glamour, making this historical discipline incredibly feminine.

The clothes worn by the Spanish girls during the twinning ceremony reflected the traditional Andalusian style. The long skirts are made of twill, alpaca or bi-elastic fibres, fabrics that are heavier than others and therefore do not interfere with the movements of the amazons. Short-cut jackets are closed just by the first button, and are usually combined with vests that are worn completely buttoned. The wide-brimmed hat is also an essential piece, always worn slightly tilted to the left.

A.I.M.A.’s style, instead, is inspired by the English tradition. English amazons wear top hats and their hair is gathered in a bun. The jackets should not be too short or wide, while the half-wheel skirts cover the rider's legs and prevent them from slipping. Plus, let’s not forget about gloves, usually made of brown leather.